Apple Designer Abidur Chowdhury Leaves After Introducing the iPhone Air

Key Takeaways:

Chowdhury’s exit signals design turnover as Abidur Chowdhury leaves Apple to build an AI venture, adding another shift to a design org already in transition since the Ive era.
iPhone Air stays on track because Apple continues development toward the planned 2027 successor, and Chowdhury’s move doesn’t relate to current iPhone Air sales or roadmap pressure.
Post Ive changes reshape the team with several long time industrial designers departing since 2019, leaving a smaller veteran group steering Apple’s next hardware cycle.
Leadership restructuring continues after Jeff Williams retired and Chowdhury left, pushing Apple’s industrial design team to report directly to Tim Cook during a sensitive strategic period.
Future planning needs caution because rapid leadership turnover can complicate long term hardware decisions, so upcoming Apple designs may shift direction more visibly than in past cycles.

Abidur Chowdhury, who took to the stage during Apple’s latest September event to unveil the iPhone Air, has left the tech giant for a venture in artificial intelligence. This development, highlighted by Bloomberg, raised eyebrows as Chowdhury was regarded as a rising star within Apple’s industrial design team.

During the iPhone Air’s launch, Chowdhury spent a concise two minutes spotlighting its features. However, don’t jump to the conclusion that his departure stems from the device’s lukewarm sales, as work is already underway on its successor, aiming for a 2027 release.

Since Chowdhury joined the company in 2019, the same year Jony Ive departed to establish his own design consultancy. Apple’s design ranks have been seeing a bit of churn. Several designers from the Ive era have either joined his venture or moved on, leaving only a few veterans behind at Apple.

A Period of Adjustment for Apple’s Design Future

Apple’s design command structure is in flux. Jeff Williams, who has been overseeing the product design division since 2023, retired just last week. Following his exit, the industrial design team is now reporting directly to CEO Tim Cook.

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With Chowdhury’s exit, it seems Apple is navigating yet another chapter in shaping its design leadership and hardware roadmap going forward.

What do you think this means for Apple’s design trajectory? We’re eager to hear your views. Drop them in the comments below.